Yeah, I don't understand this obssession with releasing franchise films during the summer months. Paramount is doing the same thing with Star Trek (which was originally supposed to come out this Christmas) and I hope it doesn't backfire. When you lump so many high profile movies together, some will invariably suffer.
The Bond films have done fine coming out during the holidays and Sony's had a lot of success by putting out movies in late winter / early spring. I wish more studios would think outside the box like that and spread these things out a little more.
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edited October 2008
If this holds to be true, Captain America is in the deleted scene of The Incredible Hulk dvd. Here is the story and pic for those who may not be able to click on the link; I had a little trouble myself pulling this up the first few times:
First Look
Found: Captain America in The Incredible Hulk
Posted by Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on October 11, 2008
Thanks to our intrepid friend EGamb from NYC and our very own addiction to watching the Alternate Scenes feature on all of our DVDs, we caught this awesome, nanosecond glimpse of Captain America in Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk.
So obviously we can’t tell who’s playing Captain America in this, the smallest of all cameos, but the shot is still pretty awesome. Yes, it’s not perfect, but you can see clearly the tell-tale shield. Appearing on both the Blu-ray and regular DVD versions, the alternate opening shows Bruce Banner wandering around the Antarctic emo-style, trying not to get enraged when, surprise, he Hulks out.
The sequence is 2:25 long, and the cameo comes right near the end as an avalanche crashes down toward the camera. So grab your DVDs and check it out for yourself.
Personally, I can only hope the next time these two are in a film, they’re battling each other and tearing down an entire city block or causing another massive avalanche.
Editor’s Note: Currently this is the best screen grab we have from the DVD. We are actively trying to get a better one. We will update when we have something higher-res.
Now this could be a doctored fake because those of us that have seen the IRON MAN dvd can clearly see Cap's shield on Stark's worktable so that could make this article a tad conflicting. We'll just have to see when the movie hits shelves in 2 weeks. It'd be cool if this held true though. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited October 2008
Lexi Alexander just updated the website to PUNISHER: War Zone with a very cool sequence from the movie.
They just need the '89 theme going and it would be near perfect. B-)
Check it out when you can; it might not be enough to kill any doubts some of you might have with this film but it certainly looks good.:
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
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edited October 2008
The Flash Not Gaining Momentum
Source:Ryan Rotten October 18, 2008
ShockTillYouDrop.com caught up with The Dark Knight producer Charles Roven at the 2008 Scream Awards and asked him if The Flash was moving forward at Warner Bros., but it doesn't look like anything is happening:
Roven also told us that there is "no momentum" on comic book adaptation The Flash at Warner Bros. Pictures.
It was almost exactly a year ago that David Dobkin (Fred Claus) was announced as the director. At that time, Dobkin said his film would come after George Miller's "Justice League" movie and that it would be set in the same universe.
Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, The Flash has the ability to run and move extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes and violate certain laws of physics, like time travel.
No need to panic with this yet; WB is trying to move GL forward so that shows progress to me. Flash won't be far behind if all goes well with Hal.
Just a hunch...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
No need to panic with this yet; WB is trying to move GL forward so that shows progress to me. Flash won't be far behind if all goes well with Hal.
Just a hunch...
Hope you're right. I adore Flash, and there's nothing I would love more than to see a proper Flash film.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
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I really hope this BOMBS if Rogen & Chow take this in a comedic direction :
THE GREEN HORNET GETS A LITTLE LESS SERIOUS
By Devin Faraci Published Today News
Seth Rogen is keeping busy. He's got Judd Apatow's Funny People happening right now, and then next year he's going to be starring in The Green Hornet, directed by the amazing Stephen Chow.
I've talked to Seth about The Green Hornet a number of times in the last year, most recently on the set of Observe and Report. There he said that the film would be pretty serious, and that he and co-writer Evan Goldberg weren't looking to do a send up. But that was before Stephen Chow, known for his comedic take on action, came on board. Which means The Green Hornet may be getting a sense of humor.
"We feel no obligation to live up to anything I've said to any of you people in the past," Rogen told me today at the Zack & Miri press day. "When we're writing I can't go, '****, I told CHUD we weren't going to do that! Let's do it anyway!'
"Me and Evan [Goldberg] talk a lot of ****. We have one rule when writing, and that's don't get attached to anything. One day we want to make a serious film and then Stephen Chow comes in with a good idea and we're like, 'Well it's funny.' Should we not do it because we originally wanted to do a serious film? We come from, nah **** it, we'll just take the idea that seems good. So it's definitely less serious than a serious film, that's for sure. We want the action... I say now that we want the action to play serious but Stephen could come in tomorrow and say 'You know what? I want to throw you 400 feet in the air!' and I'd go, 'OK, that sounds cool.'
"We're very open now. Right now is when we're in the process of deciding what this movie is going to be on a practical level. The story is the same; we've always known the story we wanted to tell, so it's easy within that to discuss the various sensibilities and reality levels and humor levels and stuff like that. To us, we hoped the director would come in and give us lots of ideas and directions to work with, and that's what he's doing."
He and Goldberg have been rewriting the script with Chow, who was actually holed up somewhere in the Four Seasons hotel while Rogen was doing the press rounds. According to Rogen, shooting should start in April or May.
This has FAIL written all over it. The Green Hornet deserves better than this. Maybe it's just me...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
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edited October 2008
I went and got my 3-Disc copy of THE INCREDIBLE HULK this morning before work; I couldn't help myself. Not surprisingly, one of the Marvel sisters was already there buying his copy. )
BTW, the package looks great but the actual discs are rather dull like the Iron Man set. I was expecting something more colorful I guess from both. The Blu-Ray version might look better though. The embossed jacket is a nice touch despite fans not favoring its cover design.
There was also a cheaper copy that had just the film and commentary attached to another DVD that had a digital comic on it. I decided to pass on that one.
I'm checking this out once I get home. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Well! Here's an interesting bit of news about someone who was apparently approached to play Thor. No lie--it's from IESB.net:
Daniel Craig Says NO to THOR
Written by Stephanie Sanchez
Monday, 20 October 2008
James Bond has invaded Beverly Hills today with stars Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko and director Mark Forster attending the press day for the 22nd Bond film Quantum of Solace.
IESB's Robert Sanchez talked with both Olga and Daniel, who actually had a bit to say about another widely known hero, THOR, who is currently set up over at MARVEL for a 2010 release with Kenneth Branagh attached to direct.
IESB asked if Craig was interested in doing something a little different character-wise, like Thor?
Craig said no, he turned it down and laughed about it.
Sanchez continued, “seriously, I heard the folks over at Marvel had you on a short list to be Thor.”
Craig said yes they [Marvel] did approach him but he turned it down. He added jokingly, it would have been too much of a power trip, both Bond and Thor, and running around with long hair and a hammer.
Personally I think they would have had to use some major CGI to make Craig look bigger and taller, THOR was by no means a small man, not to say Craig is either, but his stature certainly doesn't fit the bill.
I went and got my 3-Disc copy of THE INCREDIBLE HULK this morning before work; I couldn't help myself. Not surprisingly, one of the Marvel sisters was already there buying his copy. )
BTW, the package looks great but the actual discs are rather dull like the Iron Man set. I was expecting something more colorful I guess from both. The Blu-Ray version might look better though. The embossed jacket is a nice touch despite fans not favoring its cover design.
There was also a cheaper copy that had just the film and commentary attached to another DVD that had a digital comic on it. I decided to pass on that one.
I'm checking this out once I get home. B-)
My brother and I picked the BluRay up today at Best Buy as they were offering a mini-lithograph of the Hulk to entice potential buyers; the disc also came with a 3D lenticular cover. The movie itself was very sharp and still a lot of fun on this second viewing. I even could make out the frozen Captain America in the ice during the alternate opening; it happens right at the end of the scene as the ice is blown towards the screen; you can just make out the shield and shape of a man in the lower left hand part of the screen (freeze frame helps a lot here).
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Well! Here's an interesting bit of news about someone who was apparently approached to play Thor. No lie--it's from IESB.net:
Daniel Craig Says NO to THOR
Written by Stephanie Sanchez
Monday, 20 October 2008
James Bond has invaded Beverly Hills today with stars Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko and director Mark Forster attending the press day for the 22nd Bond film Quantum of Solace.
IESB's Robert Sanchez talked with both Olga and Daniel, who actually had a bit to say about another widely known hero, THOR, who is currently set up over at MARVEL for a 2010 release with Kenneth Branagh attached to direct.
IESB asked if Craig was interested in doing something a little different character-wise, like Thor?
Craig said no, he turned it down and laughed about it.
Sanchez continued, “seriously, I heard the folks over at Marvel had you on a short list to be Thor.”
Craig said yes they [Marvel] did approach him but he turned it down. He added jokingly, it would have been too much of a power trip, both Bond and Thor, and running around with long hair and a hammer.
Personally I think they would have had to use some major CGI to make Craig look bigger and taller, THOR was by no means a small man, not to say Craig is either, but his stature certainly doesn't fit the bill.
The search for THOR continues.
You beat me to this one, Hardy!
Craig's certainly got the chops to do it, but I really think they need to go physically BIG with this role, even if it means finding a complete unknown (which is probably the best option). Someone with classic Nordic good looks and authentic muscles...who can act.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
THE GREEN HORNET GETS A LITTLE LESS SERIOUS
By Devin Faraci Published Today News...This has FAIL written all over it. The Green Hornet deserves better than this. Maybe it's just me...
It is not just you...I'm with you 110% on this one. If any character deserves a Nolan-type, TDK-style tone and story, it's this one X-(
If this is half the turd it appears to be, at this admittedly very early stage, it might be the last time anyone tries the Hornet in my lifetime... X-( X-( X-(
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Gee, I think the Hornet is sounding pretty good about now. 2 cents.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited October 2008
Yeah, if a camp 'redux' is appealing to you...but The Green Hornet has already done the Sixties, and I think it would be nice to try something more in line with what the comic books did with him 15 or so years ago (I lose track). The Hornet is a perfect vehicle for a 'Yojimbo'-style 'origin' tale of organized crime, and exploiting the greed and paranoia of rival factions.
They've sold a ticket to me already, because I love the character, but wasted opportunities---especially when such opportunities are so rare---really annoy me. Maybe it'll be great. I hope so...but I fear otherwise. I like my Hornet like I like my Bond---dangerous, with minimal to no schtick...
This potential descent into parody is just a lack of faith in/respect for the character...I'll price my own opinion at a nickel (inflation, don't you know)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
By way of IMDB's newsfeed, here's a quick blurb from Kevin Feige about his desire to get a Dr. Strange movie into production:
Feige Hints At Dr. Strange Movie
22 October 2008 5:01 AM, PDT
Marvel president Kevin Feige wants to bring comic book superhero Doctor Strange to the big screen.
The studio boss has hinted that a movie adaptation of the Sorcerer Supreme could be in the works as soon as 2012.
He tells MTV, "I'd say in the next year, year and a half, as we start putting together our film slate for 2012 and 2013, I would not be shocked if we saw Dr. Strange on those lists. I love the idea of tapping into the magical realm of the Marvel Universe, which is fairly significant and hasn't yet seen life on screen."
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I even could make out the frozen Captain America in the ice during the alternate opening; it happens right at the end of the scene as the ice is blown towards the screen; you can just make out the shield and shape of a man in the lower left hand part of the screen (freeze frame helps a lot here).
Yeah my son really loved that part. Then after viewing the film last night he starts downing DC & bragging in Marvel-speak. 8-)
THE GREEN HORNET GETS A LITTLE LESS SERIOUS
By Devin Faraci Published Today News...This has FAIL written all over it. The Green Hornet deserves better than this. Maybe it's just me...
It is not just you...I'm with you 110% on this one. If any character deserves a Nolan-type, TDK-style tone and story, it's this one X-(
If this is half the turd it appears to be, at this admittedly very early stage, it might be the last time anyone tries the Hornet in my lifetime... X-( X-( X-(
Glad I'm not alone on this. Were you referring to the 90s NOW Comics Green Hornet, Loeff? I have a whole box of those. Pretty good series. {[]
By way of IMDB's newsfeed, here's a quick blurb from Kevin Feige about his desire to get a Dr. Strange movie into production:
Feige Hints At Dr. Strange Movie
22 October 2008 5:01 AM, PDT
Very cool. I loved Strange in the 70s; it'll be interesting how they approach this. These articles are slowly bringing the Sisters out of their Dark Knight dormancy...
I knew it wouldn't last. )
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I even could make out the frozen Captain America in the ice during the alternate opening; it happens right at the end of the scene as the ice is blown towards the screen; you can just make out the shield and shape of a man in the lower left hand part of the screen (freeze frame helps a lot here).
Yeah my son really loved that part. Then after viewing the film last night he starts downing DC & bragging in Marvel-speak. 8-)
So much for conversion right now. )
I would have sent him to his room without dinner. )
Seriously though, that Captain America peek was sooooo brief and fleeting I almost wonder if they really put it in there or if it was a preexisting trick of light and shadow that the filmmakers decided to expolit. I had to watch that scene three or four times before I finally made it out.
By way of IMDB's newsfeed, here's a quick blurb from Kevin Feige about his desire to get a Dr. Strange movie into production:
Feige Hints At Dr. Strange Movie
22 October 2008 5:01 AM, PDT
Very cool. I loved Strange in the 70s; it'll be interesting how they approach this. These articles are slowly bringing the Sisters out of their Dark Knight dormancy...
I knew it wouldn't last. )
Hopefully the powers that be won't get a Johnny Holmes lookalike next time around.
I used to read the occasional issue of Dr. Strange back in the 70s. He was a pretty cool character but you need the right kind of filmmaker for a movie about him. A lot of people are saying Guillermo Del Toro would be perfect but I actually find his aesthetic almost too fanciful for Dr. Strange.
Speaking of the Incredible Hulk, a short article on IMDB has Kevin Feige looking to make him the villain in the Avengers movie:
Marvel president Kevin Feige is looking to pit The Incredible Hulk against the Avengers in an upcoming movie - with the green monster as the villain.
The studio head admits there are no plans as yet for a sequel to this year's The Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton, but he would love to tie in Dr. Bruce Banner's alter ego into the new Avengers project.
He tells MTV, "Here's the thing - it is all in the planning stages, but certainly if you look back to any number of Hulk comics, or Avengers comics, or The Ultimates comics or the Ultimate Avengers DVD that we released, it certainly makes a hell of a sequence.
"To have all of the Avengers going up against a green goliath? I think that would be very cool to see that on the screen."
For whatever reason, the Hulk can't seem to cut it as his own movie franchise and I have my doubts that he would fare any better at being the main villain in a movie. I enjoyed both Hulk adventures, but moviegoing audiences have been very neutral to the character and I wonder if it would be better to just leave him behind.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Glad I'm not alone on this. Were you referring to the 90s NOW Comics Green Hornet, Loeff? I have a whole box of those. Pretty good series. {[]
That's the one. It was cancelled before its time, but the overall 'feel' was exactly what I think they should be going for. But of course, Seth Rogen shouldn't be anywhere near it
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
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edited October 2008
Some early news as to how well TIH is doing on dvd sales for last Tuesday; there seems to be a pattern going on here that mirrors b.o. performance if you want to compare it to Indy & Iron Man.
'Indiana Jones' tops DVD charts
'Iron Man' still doing solid business in third week
By Thomas K. Arnold
Oct 22, 2008, 06:00 PM ET
Paramount scored big on the national home video sales chart for the week ending Oct. 19, with "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" debuting at No. 1 and "Iron Man" still perched at No. 2 its third week in stores.
The two summer theatrical blockbusters scored the same one-two finish on the Blu-ray Disc sales chart.
The fourth film in the "Indiana Jones" franchise also debuted at No. 1 on Home Media Magazine's rental chart, bumping the previous week's top renter, Fox's "The Happening," to No. 2. "Iron Man" finished in third place, the same rank as last week, after debuting at No. 1 the week ending Oct. 5.
The previous week's top seller, Disney's "Sleeping Beauty," slipped to No. 3 on the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart.
"Crystal Skull" sold significantly fewer copies in its first week in stores than did "Iron Man," according to Nielsen. Then again, the latest Marvel Comics superhero movie has been nothing short of a phenomenon on home video, fueled in part by record-breaking sales on Blu-ray.
But even on rental, "Iron Man" has shown surprisingly long legs, with rental activity the week ending Oct. 19 down just 19% from the previous week, the film's second in stores.
If I'm not mistaken, Transformers sold 4.5 million copies on its first day and ended up selling 7 million in its first week, or $150 million worth in sales. I couldn't find Iron Man's first day sales, but it sold around 5 million copies/$94 million in its first week. TIH is on track to mimic its opening weekend with 2 million units sold so my estimates may put it at 4.5 maybe a little less by next Monday?
Still, don't be fooled. That's an impressive amount for any film for one day.
Marvel is advertising Hulk more heavily now on dvd than they did before it actually came out in theatres. Odd.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
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Well at least, there are some who're not giving up on The Hulk. As long as I get another stand alone flick in the near future. B-)
Oct 23 2008 8:04 PM EDT
'Incredible Hulk' Producer Wants To Make A Sequel, Which Could Include Edward Norton'You never give up on something that is worth doing,' Gale Anne Hurd says of future 'Hulk' movies.
By Larry Carroll
Compare 2003's "Hulk" with the new-to-DVD "The Incredible Hulk," and you'll find one common creative element: Gale Anne Hurd.
Hurd, the super-producer behind the "Terminator" and "Punisher" franchises, fell in love with the big green guy as a child, purchased the rights to him in the early '90s while Marvel was in disarray and continues to cherish him as the most powerful of all superhero stories. And now that the character is relaunched, Hurd has big plans for the years ahead.
"When girls are growing up, they're the ones who are picked on," she said. "I had an older brother, and there's no way that you could ever really fight back. So, to me, the Hulk was wish fulfillment. [My family] had a little cabin, and in the summers we'd go up there. It didn't have running water and it didn't have electricity, but the big thing there was a market we would go to before we went up to our cabin, and they sold 'Spider-Man,' 'Incredible Hulk' and 'Fantastic Four' [comics].
"I always bought them out," the now-53-year-old Hollywood power player laughed. "That was my treat for the summer."
This past June, Hurd returned the favor by giving audiences a summer treat with "The Incredible Hulk," a film that established Edward Norton as the new Dr. Bruce Banner. And although Marvel Studio's president of production recently told us that Hulk's future is somewhat uncertain, Hurd revealed that she has every intention of creating an "Incredible Hulk 2" and that Norton is signed on to once again get angry.
"It's all going to depend on the screenplay and where his character goes in any sequel, because he does have a multiple-picture deal," she said of Norton, who told us recently that he's waiting to hear from Marvel regarding Hulk's future. "[Norton's situation] is the same with every franchise like this, when you have one of the top actors of his generation."
Those who've seen "The Incredible Hulk" know that a not-too-subtle sequel hint was dropped when Tim Blake Nelson's Samuel Sterns had a sample of Banner's blood drip into an open wound on his head, causing him to mutate. Hurd said that a proper "Hulk 2" would pick up on this event.
"The Leader," she said when asked what Nelson was transforming into when last we saw him. "It would be a blast [to put the Leader in the sequel], and Tim Blake Nelson is tremendous and a very talented filmmaker in his own right."
But before any Hulk/Leader throw-down can take place, she said, Hulk will likely be seen alongside Iron Man, Captain America and the other heroes being recruited by Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. "Next, he's likely to appear in an 'Avengers' movie, but that's completely up to Marvel," she explained. "It's wonderful that Marvel now controls so many of their own characters, and they can create a Marvel universe in film and populate it with so many of their characters who naturally exist together. I think an 'Avengers' film is a very exciting prospect."
Asked about her own involvement in the summer 2011 film, she revealed that just because Hulk will be involved with "Avengers" doesn't mean she will. "That I couldn't tell you," Hurd said. "There haven't been any discussions about that."
So instead, she's thinking about a "Hulk 2" these days. "When I think of all the many, many, many villains in the Hulk universe, we've now done the Abomination, so wouldn't it be great to tackle the Leader?" she beamed. "It's a completely different type of cerebral villain, which would give the movie a terrific new take on the character."
And even if "Hulk 2" doesn't come along until 2012 or beyond, the wait wouldn't be a concern for Hurd, who once took 12 years between the second and third "Terminator" films. "You know what? You never give up on something that is worth doing," she promised. "General audiences responded really well [to 'The Incredible Hulk'], and so we look forward to having the opportunity to do it again." http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1597802/story.jhtml
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
From reading the article, it sounds like the earliest a standalone Hulk movie would debut, assuming one even gets made, is no sooner than 2012, after the Avengers.
I enjoyed The Incredible Hulk; I just bought the BluRay and liked it even more watching it at home. But despite Hurd's comments, the bottom line with these movies is their relative profitability and compared to other summer fare (or even the 2003 Ang Lee version) it just didn't do that great business.
Maybe Marvel should rethink when some of these movies are released. Instead of dropping everything on audiences during the summer, they might do well to think about releasing some of these films during the holidays or even in early spring. This holiday looks particularly thin and I'm willing to bet that the Hulk would have done far better business if it had been released in late November or early December. Films like 300 and even Ghost Rider raked in cash by following unconventional release schedules. It might also be a good business decision since they'd have a steadier stream of cash year-round; as it is, they won't see any more money from their film ventures until 2010 at the earliest.
I really wish studios would get out of this mindset that movies only make money between May and August; what usually happens is that they just end up cannibalizing each other.
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Will Brandon Routh return for planned 'reintroduction' of Superman?
By David Bentley on Oct 28, 08 10:54 PM in Film gossip
IS IT a bird, is it a plane - and more importantly is it a sequel, a prequel, a requel, a reboot, a re-Routh or some other concept?
Right now the Man of Steel is gently rusting on the shelf at Warner Bros, with no official announcement of what's happening next.
But there are reports that Brandon Routh will return to reprise the role of Clark Kent and Superman, even if the next film is unrelated to Superman Returns.
Bryan Singer's 2006 movie fell below studio expectations and divided the fan base with story elements such as the introduction of a super-child, Jason White.
Warner Bros Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov recently said the movie "didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to" and said "the plan is just to reintroduce Superman".
Many took "reintroduce" to mean a reboot with a new director and cast; others believe it simply means a new and unrelated Superman story but with the same director and (at least some of) the same cast.
The movie website Screenrant has reported that a reliable contact revealed that Warner Bros president Alan Horn wants Brandon Routh back as Clark Kent/Superman and apparently so does Thomas Tull, the head of Legendary Pictures who was a producer on Superman Returns. Screenrant writer Jamie Williams comments this makes no sense whatsoever, and would be "like Roger Moore playing 007 in 2006's Bond reboot Casino Royale instead of Daniel Craig."
Meanwhile, the Save Superman site, which wants Smallville's Tom Welling to step into the Superman role, also reports that Alan Horn wants to keep Brandon Routh, adding that Horn and Routh have become friends outside the studio.
Save Superman believes "this is a conflict of interest and should not have any bearing on the film, but would prove he simply does not care about fans or the true potential of a Superman film."
Producer Thomas Tull, it reports, is indeed against a reboot but simply wants a sequel and is hoping to get back money lost by Superman Returns' financial underperformance. The site believes a reboot would be the best way to recoup losses.
Save Superman believes Robinov's call for a reintroduction DOES mean a reboot and that Robinov "seems to be the only one who has the overall best interest of the character in mind right now, but doesn't get to make the final decision."
superlois.jpgRouth's possible return was first suggested when Latino Review spoke to the boss of DC Comics, which is Warner Bros' comic book division and publishes the Superman comics.
Latino Review claimed that DC Comics President Paul Levitz said Brandon Routh had been visiting the company's offices for talks over the future of Superman.
Latino Review came to the conclusion that Routh is "still in the mix" for the next movie and also reported that a decision on the next Superman film will fall Into place after Batman director Christopher Nolan signs on for a third Batman movie. A summer 2012 date has been mentioned for the next Superman movie.
It's difficult to tell here what is speculation, fabrication, wishful thinking, partisanship or personal campaigning as opposed to what is truth and fact.
Routh may be contracted for a sequel but as we saw with Terrence Howard's replacement by Don Cheadle in the Iron Man sequel, it's not as simple as contracts might suggest.
I have nothing against Bryan Singer - he did well with X-Men but, in my view, he somewhat misjudged his attempt at reviving the Superman franchise.
Routh looks the part in many ways but the film offered no clear evidence of his acting ability while the costume didn't do much to make him appear 'super.' Spacey's Lex Luthor was too hammy and lacked a modern corporate touch, Kate Bosworth seemed okay though perhaps too young and meek to be the seasoned hack Lois Lane and the super kid, Jason, felt like a narrative challenge at the very least - how could a sequel deal with Superman's parenthood and Jason's emerging powers when the child is with Lois and Richard?
And I didn't buy the fact that Superman could abandon earth for five years without telling anyone, even Lois (who later bore his son). It all added up to some sort of offbeat oddity that failed to hit its target in several key ways.
So, what do you want?:
1. A sequel with the same cast and director and continuing the story from Superman Returns
2. A requel (cross between reboot and sequel) with the same cast and director but a new, unconnected story ignoring controversial elements of Superman Returns
Another Routh fan here and I also think he should be brought back (along with Frank Langella as Perry White and Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olson; the rest of the cast - especially Kate Bosworth - can go for all I care).
SR's problems had nothing to do with Routh. The sloppy and needlessly compliacted and convoluted storyline was at the heart of the movie's failure; Singer himself referred to it as a "chick flick" - hardly how you'd want to quantify an adventure featuring the Man of Steel.
As for Tom Welling (who's giving Dick Clark a run for his money as the world's oldest teenager) and the rest of the Smallville bunch, PLEASE keep those hacks away from any cinematic Superman adventure. They've done more to muddle up the mythos that I could have imagined possible and should be forever banished to the Phantom Zone for their many transgressions.
I know I'm in a minority on this, but I didn't mind Kate Bosworth. I would have no problem with her returning. The one cast member whom I do not want to return, under any circumstance, is Kevin Spacey. I think he's a wonderful actor who has produced some of the best performances of the 1990's, but his Luthor was so boring and unexciting that I really wish that Superman had just killed him instead of sending him to prison.
Regarding Routh, I don't really care either way. He could be great, but so could Tom Welling (sorry, Tony, I've got to disagree with you on the quality of Welling's portrayal :v), however the screenplay didn't really give Routh much of an opportunity to make an impact.
Anyway, as long as Spacey doesn't return and the new film is simplier (but not less intelligent) and more action-packed, then I think it can be a success.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Lois Lane is a plucky reporter who goes to any lengths to get the scoop, not some petulant, quasi-anorexic single mother with relationship hangups who's screwing the editor's son.
Kevin Spacey was let down by a bad script and inept direction, nothing more nothing less. If the story and the director called for him to be more evil and less hammy, I'm sure he could have obliged. That said, Superman needs to face someone who is his physical, not just intellectual, equal.
As for Welling and the rest of the Smallville adults posing as angst ridden teenagers, the have completely undermined the mythos surrounding young Clark Kent, re-envisioning both iconic heroes and memorable villains as mundane, everyday characters who are about as interesting as a soiled doormat. If you'd read even one classic Superman or Superboy comic (I know, I know, you're afraid you'll compromise your lofty literary standards) you would know just how bad Smallville really is and why no one associated with that production - regardless of what side of the camera they're on - should be allowed within 1,000 miles of any future Superman movie.
However Dan, you are right about one thing that you say: you are in the minority. )
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
If you'd read even one classic Superman or Superboy comic (I know, I know, you're afraid you'll compromise your lofty literary standards)
) ) )
What's taking him?
And, Dan, why are you trying to crucify Spacey when it's pretty clear that Singer wanted him to play it that way in a script that Singer staunchly approved?
I'm willing to give Spacey the benefit of the doubt on this and with proper direction, I'm 100% sure that he can redeem himself as the Lex Luthor we all fear & revere.
The sad thing is, you're trying to gauge the essence of a COMIC BOOK character from films & a teen-ish television series.
Go to the real source material first. Let me start you out:
You might consider these works of literature subjacent to what you regularly engage in but at least they can help your arguments in future coversations when you want to make a substantial contribution to threads of this kind :v .
Why'd I even try?It's Dan...DAN!
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
If you'd read even one classic Superman or Superboy comic (I know, I know, you're afraid you'll compromise your lofty literary standards)
) ) )
What's taking him?
And, Dan, why are you trying to crucify Spacey when it's pretty clear that Singer wanted him to play it that way in a script that Singer staunchly approved?
I'm willing to give Spacey the benefit of the doubt on this and with proper direction, I'm 100% sure that he can redeem himself as the Lex Luthor we all fear & revere.
The sad thing is, you're trying to gauge the essence of a COMIC BOOK character from films & a teen-ish television series.
Go to the real source material first. Let me start you out:
You might consider these works of literature subjacent to what you regularly engage in but at least they can help your arguments in future coversations when you want to make a substantial contribution to threads of this kind :v .
Why'd I even try? It's Dan...DAN! [/quote]
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I still have my copies of that miniseries; a very good read and well drawn. This is how Doomsday is supposed to be portrayed: a nearly indestructible alien monster who lives only to destroy and can easily match (and probably best) Superman, not some two-bit serial killer as he is being portrayed in Crapville.
Lois Lane is a plucky reporter who goes to any lengths to get the scoop, not some petulant, quasi-anorexic single mother with relationship hangups who's screwing the editor's son.
Bosworth was not a great Lois Lane, by any stretch of the imagination, and I didn't love her, but nor did I did find her to be any worse than other castmember of SR, save for Spacey. I think it should be noted that IMO nobody will ever be as good as Margot Kidder, yet I thought Bosworth was still pretty good (albeit not great), especially as unlike Spacey she was neither boring nor offensive and actually IMO quite alluring. Don't worry though; if she doesn't return, I won't be signing any petitions.
Kevin Spacey was let down by a bad script and inept direction, nothing more nothing less. If the story and the director called for him to be more evil and less hammy, I'm sure he could have obliged.
I don't know about that. Yes, the screenplay was terrible, which is why I can't fully embrace Routh as he wasn't given much of an opportunity to shine although he was still quite good, but for an actor of Spacey's calibre and experience, I expected better from him.
But then again, perhaps he's not as good an actor as I thought he was. Almost all of the films he's done in which IMO he's given great performances (such as Glengarry Glenn Ross, The Usual Suspects, Seven, LA Confidential, American Beauty) were marked by terrific screenplays, so he might *need a good-quality screenplay. Although, considering many of his performances, I think he is still one of the most astonishing actors of his generation, even if he hasn't done anything worthwhile in almost a decade. I guess it comes down to this; Singer and the writers deserve blame for the way Spacey's Luthor was (whose best moment was when he took off the wig), while Spacey deserves blame for the execution. Perhaps, for the next film, as well as getting a new actor to play Luthor, they can hire new writers and a director as well.
*A truly great actor, such as a De Niro, IMO are capable of delivering good or great performances even when the screenplay is questionable. For De Niro, the greatest example was The Deer Hunter; IMO a really disappointing and extremely overrated film, yet it yielded one of his greatest performances.
As for Welling and the rest of the Smallville adults posing as angst ridden teenagers, the have completely undermined the mythos surrounding young Clark Kent, re-envisioning both iconic heroes and memorable villains as mundane, everyday characters who are about as interesting as a soiled doormat.
I'm no fan of Smallville either, the show is far too much of a soap opera, but that doesn't mean that Welling isn't a good Supes. :v I think that he has demonstrated his capabilities, and IMO just as much as Routh, who although good is not IMO all that outstanding.
If you'd read even one classic Superman or Superboy comic (I know, I know, you're afraid you'll compromise your lofty literary standards) you would know just how bad Smallville really is and why no one associated with that production - regardless of what side of the camera they're on - should be allowed within 1,000 miles of any future Superman movie.
It's not really about compromising my literary standards as I don't spend much of my time reading Proust and Nabokov. It's more about embracing the unknown which I'm not particularly great at. Anyway, I am actually quite aware of how terrible Smallville is; it's pathetic however Welling would IMO still be a worthy big-screen Superman. :v
However Dan, you are right about one thing that you say: you are in the minority. )
)
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Comments
The Bond films have done fine coming out during the holidays and Sony's had a lot of success by putting out movies in late winter / early spring. I wish more studios would think outside the box like that and spread these things out a little more.
First Look
Found: Captain America in The Incredible Hulk
Posted by Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on October 11, 2008
Thanks to our intrepid friend EGamb from NYC and our very own addiction to watching the Alternate Scenes feature on all of our DVDs, we caught this awesome, nanosecond glimpse of Captain America in Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk.
So obviously we can’t tell who’s playing Captain America in this, the smallest of all cameos, but the shot is still pretty awesome. Yes, it’s not perfect, but you can see clearly the tell-tale shield. Appearing on both the Blu-ray and regular DVD versions, the alternate opening shows Bruce Banner wandering around the Antarctic emo-style, trying not to get enraged when, surprise, he Hulks out.
The sequence is 2:25 long, and the cameo comes right near the end as an avalanche crashes down toward the camera. So grab your DVDs and check it out for yourself.
Personally, I can only hope the next time these two are in a film, they’re battling each other and tearing down an entire city block or causing another massive avalanche.
Editor’s Note: Currently this is the best screen grab we have from the DVD. We are actively trying to get a better one. We will update when we have something higher-res.
http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/found-captain-america-in-the-incredible-hulk.php
Now this could be a doctored fake because those of us that have seen the IRON MAN dvd can clearly see Cap's shield on Stark's worktable so that could make this article a tad conflicting. We'll just have to see when the movie hits shelves in 2 weeks. It'd be cool if this held true though. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
They just need the '89 theme going and it would be near perfect. B-)
Check it out when you can; it might not be enough to kill any doubts some of you might have with this film but it certainly looks good.:
http://www.punisherwarzonemovie.com/
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Source:Ryan Rotten October 18, 2008
ShockTillYouDrop.com caught up with The Dark Knight producer Charles Roven at the 2008 Scream Awards and asked him if The Flash was moving forward at Warner Bros., but it doesn't look like anything is happening:
Roven also told us that there is "no momentum" on comic book adaptation The Flash at Warner Bros. Pictures.
It was almost exactly a year ago that David Dobkin (Fred Claus) was announced as the director. At that time, Dobkin said his film would come after George Miller's "Justice League" movie and that it would be set in the same universe.
Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, The Flash has the ability to run and move extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes and violate certain laws of physics, like time travel.
No need to panic with this yet; WB is trying to move GL forward so that shows progress to me. Flash won't be far behind if all goes well with Hal.
Just a hunch...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
THE GREEN HORNET GETS A LITTLE LESS SERIOUS
By Devin Faraci Published Today News
Seth Rogen is keeping busy. He's got Judd Apatow's Funny People happening right now, and then next year he's going to be starring in The Green Hornet, directed by the amazing Stephen Chow.
I've talked to Seth about The Green Hornet a number of times in the last year, most recently on the set of Observe and Report. There he said that the film would be pretty serious, and that he and co-writer Evan Goldberg weren't looking to do a send up. But that was before Stephen Chow, known for his comedic take on action, came on board. Which means The Green Hornet may be getting a sense of humor.
"We feel no obligation to live up to anything I've said to any of you people in the past," Rogen told me today at the Zack & Miri press day. "When we're writing I can't go, '****, I told CHUD we weren't going to do that! Let's do it anyway!'
"Me and Evan [Goldberg] talk a lot of ****. We have one rule when writing, and that's don't get attached to anything. One day we want to make a serious film and then Stephen Chow comes in with a good idea and we're like, 'Well it's funny.' Should we not do it because we originally wanted to do a serious film? We come from, nah **** it, we'll just take the idea that seems good. So it's definitely less serious than a serious film, that's for sure. We want the action... I say now that we want the action to play serious but Stephen could come in tomorrow and say 'You know what? I want to throw you 400 feet in the air!' and I'd go, 'OK, that sounds cool.'
"We're very open now. Right now is when we're in the process of deciding what this movie is going to be on a practical level. The story is the same; we've always known the story we wanted to tell, so it's easy within that to discuss the various sensibilities and reality levels and humor levels and stuff like that. To us, we hoped the director would come in and give us lots of ideas and directions to work with, and that's what he's doing."
He and Goldberg have been rewriting the script with Chow, who was actually holed up somewhere in the Four Seasons hotel while Rogen was doing the press rounds. According to Rogen, shooting should start in April or May.
http://chud.com/articles/articles/16715/1/THE-GREEN-HORNET-GETS-A-LITTLE-LESS-SERIOUS/Page1.html
This has FAIL written all over it. The Green Hornet deserves better than this. Maybe it's just me...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
BTW, the package looks great but the actual discs are rather dull like the Iron Man set. I was expecting something more colorful I guess from both. The Blu-Ray version might look better though. The embossed jacket is a nice touch despite fans not favoring its cover design.
There was also a cheaper copy that had just the film and commentary attached to another DVD that had a digital comic on it. I decided to pass on that one.
I'm checking this out once I get home. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Daniel Craig Says NO to THOR
Written by Stephanie Sanchez
Monday, 20 October 2008
James Bond has invaded Beverly Hills today with stars Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko and director Mark Forster attending the press day for the 22nd Bond film Quantum of Solace.
IESB's Robert Sanchez talked with both Olga and Daniel, who actually had a bit to say about another widely known hero, THOR, who is currently set up over at MARVEL for a 2010 release with Kenneth Branagh attached to direct.
IESB asked if Craig was interested in doing something a little different character-wise, like Thor?
Craig said no, he turned it down and laughed about it.
Sanchez continued, “seriously, I heard the folks over at Marvel had you on a short list to be Thor.”
Craig said yes they [Marvel] did approach him but he turned it down. He added jokingly, it would have been too much of a power trip, both Bond and Thor, and running around with long hair and a hammer.
Personally I think they would have had to use some major CGI to make Craig look bigger and taller, THOR was by no means a small man, not to say Craig is either, but his stature certainly doesn't fit the bill.
The search for THOR continues.
My brother and I picked the BluRay up today at Best Buy as they were offering a mini-lithograph of the Hulk to entice potential buyers; the disc also came with a 3D lenticular cover. The movie itself was very sharp and still a lot of fun on this second viewing. I even could make out the frozen Captain America in the ice during the alternate opening; it happens right at the end of the scene as the ice is blown towards the screen; you can just make out the shield and shape of a man in the lower left hand part of the screen (freeze frame helps a lot here).
You beat me to this one, Hardy!
Craig's certainly got the chops to do it, but I really think they need to go physically BIG with this role, even if it means finding a complete unknown (which is probably the best option). Someone with classic Nordic good looks and authentic muscles...who can act.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
It is not just you...I'm with you 110% on this one. If any character deserves a Nolan-type, TDK-style tone and story, it's this one X-(
If this is half the turd it appears to be, at this admittedly very early stage, it might be the last time anyone tries the Hornet in my lifetime... X-( X-( X-(
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
They've sold a ticket to me already, because I love the character, but wasted opportunities---especially when such opportunities are so rare---really annoy me. Maybe it'll be great. I hope so...but I fear otherwise. I like my Hornet like I like my Bond---dangerous, with minimal to no schtick...
This potential descent into parody is just a lack of faith in/respect for the character...I'll price my own opinion at a nickel (inflation, don't you know)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Feige Hints At Dr. Strange Movie
22 October 2008 5:01 AM, PDT
Marvel president Kevin Feige wants to bring comic book superhero Doctor Strange to the big screen.
The studio boss has hinted that a movie adaptation of the Sorcerer Supreme could be in the works as soon as 2012.
He tells MTV, "I'd say in the next year, year and a half, as we start putting together our film slate for 2012 and 2013, I would not be shocked if we saw Dr. Strange on those lists. I love the idea of tapping into the magical realm of the Marvel Universe, which is fairly significant and hasn't yet seen life on screen."
Yeah my son really loved that part. Then after viewing the film last night he starts downing DC & bragging in Marvel-speak. 8-)
So much for conversion right now.
Glad I'm not alone on this. Were you referring to the 90s NOW Comics Green Hornet, Loeff? I have a whole box of those. Pretty good series. {[]
Very cool. I loved Strange in the 70s; it'll be interesting how they approach this. These articles are slowly bringing the Sisters out of their Dark Knight dormancy...
I knew it wouldn't last.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I would have sent him to his room without dinner.
Seriously though, that Captain America peek was sooooo brief and fleeting I almost wonder if they really put it in there or if it was a preexisting trick of light and shadow that the filmmakers decided to expolit. I had to watch that scene three or four times before I finally made it out.
Hopefully the powers that be won't get a Johnny Holmes lookalike next time around.
I used to read the occasional issue of Dr. Strange back in the 70s. He was a pretty cool character but you need the right kind of filmmaker for a movie about him. A lot of people are saying Guillermo Del Toro would be perfect but I actually find his aesthetic almost too fanciful for Dr. Strange.
For whatever reason, the Hulk can't seem to cut it as his own movie franchise and I have my doubts that he would fare any better at being the main villain in a movie. I enjoyed both Hulk adventures, but moviegoing audiences have been very neutral to the character and I wonder if it would be better to just leave him behind.
That's the one. It was cancelled before its time, but the overall 'feel' was exactly what I think they should be going for. But of course, Seth Rogen shouldn't be anywhere near it
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
'Indiana Jones' tops DVD charts
'Iron Man' still doing solid business in third week
By Thomas K. Arnold
Oct 22, 2008, 06:00 PM ET
Paramount scored big on the national home video sales chart for the week ending Oct. 19, with "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" debuting at No. 1 and "Iron Man" still perched at No. 2 its third week in stores.
The two summer theatrical blockbusters scored the same one-two finish on the Blu-ray Disc sales chart.
The fourth film in the "Indiana Jones" franchise also debuted at No. 1 on Home Media Magazine's rental chart, bumping the previous week's top renter, Fox's "The Happening," to No. 2. "Iron Man" finished in third place, the same rank as last week, after debuting at No. 1 the week ending Oct. 5.
The previous week's top seller, Disney's "Sleeping Beauty," slipped to No. 3 on the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart.
"Crystal Skull" sold significantly fewer copies in its first week in stores than did "Iron Man," according to Nielsen. Then again, the latest Marvel Comics superhero movie has been nothing short of a phenomenon on home video, fueled in part by record-breaking sales on Blu-ray.
But even on rental, "Iron Man" has shown surprisingly long legs, with rental activity the week ending Oct. 19 down just 19% from the previous week, the film's second in stores.
Looking ahead, Universal's "The Incredible Hulk" is poised to be the top seller this week, with sales of nearly 2 million units on Tuesday, its first day in stores, according to studio estimates. More than 14% of those sales were on Blu-ray.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i89d2099dbe2c27127690aca71899b194
If I'm not mistaken, Transformers sold 4.5 million copies on its first day and ended up selling 7 million in its first week, or $150 million worth in sales. I couldn't find Iron Man's first day sales, but it sold around 5 million copies/$94 million in its first week. TIH is on track to mimic its opening weekend with 2 million units sold so my estimates may put it at 4.5 maybe a little less by next Monday?
Still, don't be fooled. That's an impressive amount for any film for one day.
Marvel is advertising Hulk more heavily now on dvd than they did before it actually came out in theatres. Odd.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Oct 23 2008 8:04 PM EDT
'Incredible Hulk' Producer Wants To Make A Sequel, Which Could Include Edward Norton'You never give up on something that is worth doing,' Gale Anne Hurd says of future 'Hulk' movies.
By Larry Carroll
Compare 2003's "Hulk" with the new-to-DVD "The Incredible Hulk," and you'll find one common creative element: Gale Anne Hurd.
Hurd, the super-producer behind the "Terminator" and "Punisher" franchises, fell in love with the big green guy as a child, purchased the rights to him in the early '90s while Marvel was in disarray and continues to cherish him as the most powerful of all superhero stories. And now that the character is relaunched, Hurd has big plans for the years ahead.
"When girls are growing up, they're the ones who are picked on," she said. "I had an older brother, and there's no way that you could ever really fight back. So, to me, the Hulk was wish fulfillment. [My family] had a little cabin, and in the summers we'd go up there. It didn't have running water and it didn't have electricity, but the big thing there was a market we would go to before we went up to our cabin, and they sold 'Spider-Man,' 'Incredible Hulk' and 'Fantastic Four' [comics].
"I always bought them out," the now-53-year-old Hollywood power player laughed. "That was my treat for the summer."
This past June, Hurd returned the favor by giving audiences a summer treat with "The Incredible Hulk," a film that established Edward Norton as the new Dr. Bruce Banner. And although Marvel Studio's president of production recently told us that Hulk's future is somewhat uncertain, Hurd revealed that she has every intention of creating an "Incredible Hulk 2" and that Norton is signed on to once again get angry.
"It's all going to depend on the screenplay and where his character goes in any sequel, because he does have a multiple-picture deal," she said of Norton, who told us recently that he's waiting to hear from Marvel regarding Hulk's future. "[Norton's situation] is the same with every franchise like this, when you have one of the top actors of his generation."
Those who've seen "The Incredible Hulk" know that a not-too-subtle sequel hint was dropped when Tim Blake Nelson's Samuel Sterns had a sample of Banner's blood drip into an open wound on his head, causing him to mutate. Hurd said that a proper "Hulk 2" would pick up on this event.
"The Leader," she said when asked what Nelson was transforming into when last we saw him. "It would be a blast [to put the Leader in the sequel], and Tim Blake Nelson is tremendous and a very talented filmmaker in his own right."
But before any Hulk/Leader throw-down can take place, she said, Hulk will likely be seen alongside Iron Man, Captain America and the other heroes being recruited by Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. "Next, he's likely to appear in an 'Avengers' movie, but that's completely up to Marvel," she explained. "It's wonderful that Marvel now controls so many of their own characters, and they can create a Marvel universe in film and populate it with so many of their characters who naturally exist together. I think an 'Avengers' film is a very exciting prospect."
Asked about her own involvement in the summer 2011 film, she revealed that just because Hulk will be involved with "Avengers" doesn't mean she will. "That I couldn't tell you," Hurd said. "There haven't been any discussions about that."
So instead, she's thinking about a "Hulk 2" these days. "When I think of all the many, many, many villains in the Hulk universe, we've now done the Abomination, so wouldn't it be great to tackle the Leader?" she beamed. "It's a completely different type of cerebral villain, which would give the movie a terrific new take on the character."
And even if "Hulk 2" doesn't come along until 2012 or beyond, the wait wouldn't be a concern for Hurd, who once took 12 years between the second and third "Terminator" films. "You know what? You never give up on something that is worth doing," she promised. "General audiences responded really well [to 'The Incredible Hulk'], and so we look forward to having the opportunity to do it again."
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1597802/story.jhtml
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I enjoyed The Incredible Hulk; I just bought the BluRay and liked it even more watching it at home. But despite Hurd's comments, the bottom line with these movies is their relative profitability and compared to other summer fare (or even the 2003 Ang Lee version) it just didn't do that great business.
Maybe Marvel should rethink when some of these movies are released. Instead of dropping everything on audiences during the summer, they might do well to think about releasing some of these films during the holidays or even in early spring. This holiday looks particularly thin and I'm willing to bet that the Hulk would have done far better business if it had been released in late November or early December. Films like 300 and even Ghost Rider raked in cash by following unconventional release schedules. It might also be a good business decision since they'd have a steadier stream of cash year-round; as it is, they won't see any more money from their film ventures until 2010 at the earliest.
I really wish studios would get out of this mindset that movies only make money between May and August; what usually happens is that they just end up cannibalizing each other.
By David Bentley on Oct 28, 08 10:54 PM in Film gossip
IS IT a bird, is it a plane - and more importantly is it a sequel, a prequel, a requel, a reboot, a re-Routh or some other concept?
Right now the Man of Steel is gently rusting on the shelf at Warner Bros, with no official announcement of what's happening next.
But there are reports that Brandon Routh will return to reprise the role of Clark Kent and Superman, even if the next film is unrelated to Superman Returns.
Bryan Singer's 2006 movie fell below studio expectations and divided the fan base with story elements such as the introduction of a super-child, Jason White.
Warner Bros Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov recently said the movie "didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to" and said "the plan is just to reintroduce Superman".
Many took "reintroduce" to mean a reboot with a new director and cast; others believe it simply means a new and unrelated Superman story but with the same director and (at least some of) the same cast.
The movie website Screenrant has reported that a reliable contact revealed that Warner Bros president Alan Horn wants Brandon Routh back as Clark Kent/Superman and apparently so does Thomas Tull, the head of Legendary Pictures who was a producer on Superman Returns. Screenrant writer Jamie Williams comments this makes no sense whatsoever, and would be "like Roger Moore playing 007 in 2006's Bond reboot Casino Royale instead of Daniel Craig."
Meanwhile, the Save Superman site, which wants Smallville's Tom Welling to step into the Superman role, also reports that Alan Horn wants to keep Brandon Routh, adding that Horn and Routh have become friends outside the studio.
Save Superman believes "this is a conflict of interest and should not have any bearing on the film, but would prove he simply does not care about fans or the true potential of a Superman film."
Producer Thomas Tull, it reports, is indeed against a reboot but simply wants a sequel and is hoping to get back money lost by Superman Returns' financial underperformance. The site believes a reboot would be the best way to recoup losses.
Save Superman believes Robinov's call for a reintroduction DOES mean a reboot and that Robinov "seems to be the only one who has the overall best interest of the character in mind right now, but doesn't get to make the final decision."
superlois.jpgRouth's possible return was first suggested when Latino Review spoke to the boss of DC Comics, which is Warner Bros' comic book division and publishes the Superman comics.
Latino Review claimed that DC Comics President Paul Levitz said Brandon Routh had been visiting the company's offices for talks over the future of Superman.
Latino Review came to the conclusion that Routh is "still in the mix" for the next movie and also reported that a decision on the next Superman film will fall Into place after Batman director Christopher Nolan signs on for a third Batman movie. A summer 2012 date has been mentioned for the next Superman movie.
It's difficult to tell here what is speculation, fabrication, wishful thinking, partisanship or personal campaigning as opposed to what is truth and fact.
Routh may be contracted for a sequel but as we saw with Terrence Howard's replacement by Don Cheadle in the Iron Man sequel, it's not as simple as contracts might suggest.
I have nothing against Bryan Singer - he did well with X-Men but, in my view, he somewhat misjudged his attempt at reviving the Superman franchise.
Routh looks the part in many ways but the film offered no clear evidence of his acting ability while the costume didn't do much to make him appear 'super.' Spacey's Lex Luthor was too hammy and lacked a modern corporate touch, Kate Bosworth seemed okay though perhaps too young and meek to be the seasoned hack Lois Lane and the super kid, Jason, felt like a narrative challenge at the very least - how could a sequel deal with Superman's parenthood and Jason's emerging powers when the child is with Lois and Richard?
And I didn't buy the fact that Superman could abandon earth for five years without telling anyone, even Lois (who later bore his son). It all added up to some sort of offbeat oddity that failed to hit its target in several key ways.
So, what do you want?:
1. A sequel with the same cast and director and continuing the story from Superman Returns
2. A requel (cross between reboot and sequel) with the same cast and director but a new, unconnected story ignoring controversial elements of Superman Returns
3. A requel with same cast but a new director
4. A reboot with new cast, story and director
http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/2008/10/superman-reboot.html
Bring back Routh and reboot this sucker!
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
SR's problems had nothing to do with Routh. The sloppy and needlessly compliacted and convoluted storyline was at the heart of the movie's failure; Singer himself referred to it as a "chick flick" - hardly how you'd want to quantify an adventure featuring the Man of Steel.
As for Tom Welling (who's giving Dick Clark a run for his money as the world's oldest teenager) and the rest of the Smallville bunch, PLEASE keep those hacks away from any cinematic Superman adventure. They've done more to muddle up the mythos that I could have imagined possible and should be forever banished to the Phantom Zone for their many transgressions.
Regarding Routh, I don't really care either way. He could be great, but so could Tom Welling (sorry, Tony, I've got to disagree with you on the quality of Welling's portrayal :v), however the screenplay didn't really give Routh much of an opportunity to make an impact.
Anyway, as long as Spacey doesn't return and the new film is simplier (but not less intelligent) and more action-packed, then I think it can be a success.
Kevin Spacey was let down by a bad script and inept direction, nothing more nothing less. If the story and the director called for him to be more evil and less hammy, I'm sure he could have obliged. That said, Superman needs to face someone who is his physical, not just intellectual, equal.
As for Welling and the rest of the Smallville adults posing as angst ridden teenagers, the have completely undermined the mythos surrounding young Clark Kent, re-envisioning both iconic heroes and memorable villains as mundane, everyday characters who are about as interesting as a soiled doormat. If you'd read even one classic Superman or Superboy comic (I know, I know, you're afraid you'll compromise your lofty literary standards) you would know just how bad Smallville really is and why no one associated with that production - regardless of what side of the camera they're on - should be allowed within 1,000 miles of any future Superman movie.
However Dan, you are right about one thing that you say: you are in the minority.
What's taking him?
And, Dan, why are you trying to crucify Spacey when it's pretty clear that Singer wanted him to play it that way in a script that Singer staunchly approved?
I'm willing to give Spacey the benefit of the doubt on this and with proper direction, I'm 100% sure that he can redeem himself as the Lex Luthor we all fear & revere.
The sad thing is, you're trying to gauge the essence of a COMIC BOOK character from films & a teen-ish television series.
Go to the real source material first. Let me start you out:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Group-Lot-SUPERMAN-260-269-High-Grade-VF-7-5-DC-1973_W0QQitemZ200258012498QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item200258012498&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C39%3A2%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPERMAN-DOOMSDAY-HUNTER-PREY-1-2-3-FULL-SET-GNS_W0QQitemZ170270347060QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170270347060&_trkparms=72%3A1240%7C39%3A2%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
http://cgi.ebay.com/Superman-Our-Worlds-at-War-Trade-Paper-Back-DC_W0QQitemZ320313925367QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320313925367&_trkparms=72%3A1240%7C39%3A2%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
You might consider these works of literature subjacent to what you regularly engage in but at least they can help your arguments in future coversations when you want to make a substantial contribution to threads of this kind :v .
Why'd I even try?It's Dan...DAN!
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
What's taking him?
And, Dan, why are you trying to crucify Spacey when it's pretty clear that Singer wanted him to play it that way in a script that Singer staunchly approved?
I'm willing to give Spacey the benefit of the doubt on this and with proper direction, I'm 100% sure that he can redeem himself as the Lex Luthor we all fear & revere.
The sad thing is, you're trying to gauge the essence of a COMIC BOOK character from films & a teen-ish television series.
Go to the real source material first. Let me start you out:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Group-Lot-SUPERMAN-260-269-High-Grade-VF-7-5-DC-1973_W0QQitemZ200258012498QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item200258012498&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C39%3A2%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPERMAN-DOOMSDAY-HUNTER-PREY-1-2-3-FULL-SET-GNS_W0QQitemZ170270347060QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170270347060&_trkparms=72%3A1240%7C39%3A2%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
http://cgi.ebay.com/Superman-Our-Worlds-at-War-Trade-Paper-Back-DC_W0QQitemZ320313925367QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320313925367&_trkparms=72%3A1240%7C39%3A2%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
You might consider these works of literature subjacent to what you regularly engage in but at least they can help your arguments in future coversations when you want to make a substantial contribution to threads of this kind :v .
Why'd I even try? It's Dan...DAN!
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I still have my copies of that miniseries; a very good read and well drawn. This is how Doomsday is supposed to be portrayed: a nearly indestructible alien monster who lives only to destroy and can easily match (and probably best) Superman, not some two-bit serial killer as he is being portrayed in Crapville.
I don't know about that. Yes, the screenplay was terrible, which is why I can't fully embrace Routh as he wasn't given much of an opportunity to shine although he was still quite good, but for an actor of Spacey's calibre and experience, I expected better from him.
But then again, perhaps he's not as good an actor as I thought he was. Almost all of the films he's done in which IMO he's given great performances (such as Glengarry Glenn Ross, The Usual Suspects, Seven, LA Confidential, American Beauty) were marked by terrific screenplays, so he might *need a good-quality screenplay. Although, considering many of his performances, I think he is still one of the most astonishing actors of his generation, even if he hasn't done anything worthwhile in almost a decade.
*A truly great actor, such as a De Niro, IMO are capable of delivering good or great performances even when the screenplay is questionable. For De Niro, the greatest example was The Deer Hunter; IMO a really disappointing and extremely overrated film, yet it yielded one of his greatest performances.
I'm no fan of Smallville either,
It's not really about compromising my literary standards as I don't spend much of my time reading Proust and Nabokov.